MCLE | Chapter 20

“People are 655859f7e4 just curious ab0c9e60ca about who a06a968ede took that e615e92330 thing down 926c8e3aed so fast. What do you d1fcad08de think? Want to let d3d24bbcd2 them know just 3c66f9e93d how strong you 13fa8eeb32 are?”017818dc0118d943

”…….”7bb980b979186b31

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Zero Nine made adb3928ea4 a troubled expression. His face clearly fe61e770dc said he wasn’t c23d70309f interested.e56c49b4ac558622

Hexion, as e138a0aa9a if he 08ba10a440 had expected 925c012e44 that answer, 4cae2c45f2 flipped his 26d30b52bc smartphone over 4e5e88456c and set 5dfb778c37 it down 43314286a6 on the 847d9bf08e table.c5cf6de84414ecc4

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“It’ll die down soon 43b7b84f29 enough. Don’t worry about it.”d58d93739e89658a

But there was one fc9e4fdce9 thing Hexion overlooked—this wasn’t dba4872daa the only video circulating d0f427ce5f today.bdf781f823f3397d

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The footage of Zero 0ad1ea2215 Nine using the Level 3a3021ad66 5 Training Room had b03fd6d7e8 been distributed among the b3a55dc98b espers within the Living 0e390f16af Bureau. The reasons 8c4004d499 were plenty. Some saw it 02833ae824 as a reference 3411186734 for what an 97c12cbe75 esper capable of dbdcfb0d73 clearing Level 5 e5656e3257 could do, while 2ae7ce4190 others took it 1d5727cdb7 as a warning 9b84e2bb23 to not overstep 60702ac380 their limits.f701b7d5f00d93b5

But espers were, e33004b70a by nature, a b4fb60b8d8 volatile bunch. Not all of 59fc125c16 them, but most cb1aa8f0f7 had trouble controlling e1ead731d5 their own power.a8fad78b9ddb1a67

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Rather than having 2bcdc60534 their food delivered bc5e73335e to their private c95b92c930 dining area on 930b0932d5 the 62nd floor, 74a9a800f4 Hexion and Zero cfe52d2899 Nine decided to 02c341d402 go out instead.e7329ca77a1392ca

Hexion had already arranged d965629bbd for several cars to 7c51d323c4 be available at the fb9c641308 Living Bureau, and as 5bb9ecfd0a long as an esper 23fbfebfc6 was accompanied by their 74106e2fca guide, they could move 6342c85284 outside the bureau to fd4ad692fa some extent.8e24230d71d212c2

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However, as f4f4aeb202 the two e49ebdd3c7 descended to 4e8ebfbae0 the first 8a8355ccfb floor, they 43eebbc879 were immediately 3f2d20c6e7 met with fc19c6f9c6 a group c6164329fd of restless c56bad6852 espers.74497a93994f09de

“Ah, there 008f92cc16 he is!”e3bb0f263c244423

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“Damn it, we a12d2ab5ba can’t go higher fd04372f0d than the 60th be1ac910a5 floor.”7217077598df970a

The moment d9d443c018 they spotted 053da5e74c Zero Nine, 33e9409518 the group 329903a0bd strode toward b22edb409f him. But as soon as 04cceed1cf they noticed Hexion, they 4683fd289f hesitated.5b2e77f7d7929554

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This was the 3f89f8ea2b newly arrived Colonel, be3c601aeb the guide who 179253a0f0 had pushed an aeb2cd774d esper to the a254c7090d brink of rampage.00626b5e598b763c

A few of 1ce65a5bd5 them awkwardly raised e4ca43ed43 their hands in 0bd93721b6 salute—it was a 20254a4421 pathetic sight.23de781ec433e5e5

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Hexion decided to let 4a7d8505b6 it slide this time. After all, he was 321a6eff44 on his way out 09de82d341 to eat with Zero 3523112577 Nine.82f3e555ac79ee19

“Move.”8fa8cca2bf084fcc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Colonel.”227c6d76277c1bd8

“What now?”2cbc0d5ef39c66b9

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One of the espers 9ea800d10f stepped forward and asked,0d3097eddad7c4aa

“Is it true that c0f396199d Zero Nine destroyed a b97a838fd9 Level 5?”17057ec8dcac26a8

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“You wouldn’t 63573906ff be asking ed2b485f3e me unless 7979067871 you saw f2604b287e it for b0a74174c8 yourself.”da03a17f002fd0e0

Hexion glanced at the 75aac77b63 esper like one might 46ac891287 look at a ladybug—mildly 5f213979c7 interested, but not enough cbc64f7c63 to care.79adfd18fdf3febe

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“So why bother 05ae0f905f confirming it with ad6ea57de9 me?”edd186170d08e73f

”…Yes, we saw 688d194741 the training footage 7b52ea2ed8 of Zero Nine.”dccb6d09e6950f85

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“And?”435ecefc3c7eb4a8

“We’d like to 5628be702c get a feel 362550e7d3 for how much 07b9fa2fe2 stronger he is ed39bf2c65 compared to us.”a767deb5339845de

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Hexion’s opinion of 353be0bd3b them shifted. Paramecium.bbd47dab18727fa3

Even after 3cc294459b watching that 92583d78ed video, they 6f38e976bd still wanted 7cd094cb34 to challenge c9ed804d58 him?80a7daf490624816

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“Why are you a3ca0eddba so eager to 2e4acde83e pick a fight 2c98bd206f you can’t win?”5462fe7b71a85e2b

Hexion genuinely didn’t understand.6f146aac6467cb3a

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But the 1ecd095245 esper remained e73c0a306d firm, answering 9111b041fa without hesitation.e8f0b5625fcf9117

“Because we want f42c5758fb to know exactly 89fc251abc how much of 800eb249b5 an asset he bc174eb4c7 can be to 7b136a91d7 us.”d4d96534d741401b

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”…….”cccc5bce38b49ece

Hexion let out 2f0f2f5504 a sharp, predatory 2811199365 laugh.f435c8473ce02698

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So that’s what this db86906dab was?a3f41887b351a6da

A bunch 8ff98ca917 of overconfident e82a9a1e98 idiots thinking 2cfcb94a22 they were 3f0a0b3581 entitled to 9f392ffcc2 gauge someone 72970192b9 else’s strength?570c082e456cd1c3

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“I’m not the type 285111c963 to give advice, but 9faf68d8e3 damn, I have a 690aada4ea lot to say right 202ebf3a6d now.”1ad2629a8046fe06

His smirk was crooked, ed8d8d2aca his words deliberately cruel.ff54d5ea3dfd0c51

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“Don’t delude 097fe40218 yourself into 50b50e9ced thinking you de579febda can ‘test’ 8429623a2f someone who’s 9f205eae65 leagues beyond c799b80eeb your level.”3eec841ffb13d002

People like this 07ea00db34 weren’t fun. They weren’t impressive. They weren’t anything.3ab5530605be4d33

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Hexion didn’t waste fe1cab24f0 time on nobodies.5fede1c8aceb2901

He turned naturally 51e759c4c0 to leave, but d3d3a32eda Zero Nine suddenly 83b78fec8e grabbed the hem d124fba725 of his jacket.6e8b306b4041ca93

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Hexion immediately noticed and 2a94114363 stopped in his tracks.8d1a91aa18453c98

Zero Nine f118e06b5d was looking 2b7def2e35 straight at 30fcdade13 the esper.83c577b49e34b70b

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“It’s not like I’ll d9a6343508 lose anything from humoring d6a48cc32a them.”bae89f00d2c300bd

“You really e5c39a0025 want to 4464efe410 do this?”0ca8d0c2079617d6

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“If one of b724b8586c them steps up, 19e1ad4034 the rest will a83f7caf75 follow.”a5f81563ab414701

“Exactly.”3b4fcdc4a7d19ea0

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Hexion raised an 5b6422c5ac eyebrow.2f86e95288e88bc9

Zero Nine’s lips d0406c12e7 curled slightly.e60031f721038eaa

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Then let 1f802dfcd7 them all 7146746ce6 come at fa36413988 once.”63216da08a9e7c85

Zero Nine 55508321af flashed a dc81746b4c slight smile, 40246e1f6f and the aa67bf22b7 espers took 9ac0a46d48 it as 21dc982734 a provocation. Hexion thought to himself, b49c2cd639 Ah, my esper is bfdc62d71f definitely smart.c64d8af8b659b784

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Hexion once again looked 7ada7e9384 over the group gathered ea42619c1e there—twenty-one in total. Twenty-one, huh. It’s a lot, but 1266557b8b not too many considering 118be0adc8 the total number of 43a5757a22 espers staying in the 5587aa3ae1 living bureau. Usually, seeing such a 28b6d0cd5d scene would make most 53bd590c15 want to avoid conflict d2238e15cb rather than jump into 77cb402a1d it. And it seems all a47d75c5c7 the less-than-average idiots have 5d5e07eb0c gathered here.4344a6ee470706a7

Hexion glanced at Zero 05e0a3ccbb Nine, who was quietly 6333477632 observing the group and 34b6c6b3d8 then casually raised his 5ac2e2860c hand. With just 13a0d4dc14 that gesture, 6d1fbf3a6e the espers c6e9be4075 tensed up f5f8972eaf and heightened 5b50402bc8 their abilities.e84ca4d574afff91

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“Do not use your bf0bcace77 powers within the living e77250346f bureau!”4827f7e2eb75292f

A staff member shouted, 25477276ed but the espers’ skin 7c8e7a180a was already flushed red, 4de58b9573 veins popping around their 9940fb9377 eyes as they glared c3571ee146 murderously. They stomped on the abfeea048f floor in unison, but 7fa33cf53d suddenly, thunk. Their bodies didn’t 9dd37684a0 move forward. They realized, Ah, 9d5b132500 we’ve been caught fff488a094 in that brief abf41fa0bd moment. Zero Nine had 658733d3d0 lifted them into 609794cd65 the air, contrary d87fdc5eec to what they 7acd463e00 had imagined.b15d0931c2180991

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“We shouldn’t hurt them, 34d5e121b7 right?”c38aaeb12f8275e5

“A broken 42b98d057b arm or c6802c849d leg would f72c8e407e heal in c300b534e8 a day.”0ccfbab77bba005d

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“Still. It would hurt.”0ea4c341e601e478

“How considerate.”e393f843c2d3ea98

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Zero Nine, in response 62748e7552 to Hexion’s comment, slowly 1a3bdb3cdf blinked and then slammed 9a62d91030 them into the ceiling. They stuck to 3de7ecca96 the wall as aa095f0582 if they were b8a2c85ef9 glow-in-the-dark stickers. Why glow-in-the-dark? Because they were glowing fba1e5a249 just like that. Zero Nine glanced at 2e37a3ae69 the ceiling once and 4d975b872e then said to Hexion,c13617a8e90bcdcb

“Let’s go eat.”3d76d2da6df93744

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Hmm, Hexion a57f734e8f looked at df2f563f6e the ceiling f4567ce7dd once more 2bf2efce15 and nodded, 026dc75489 then left b531aeb3ab the living 1783f3ee23 bureau with 1c6ed1bb5f Zero Nine. The regular staff 6fa54aaf9f could only stare db4e89414a blankly at the 101b8dbbb9 espers stuck to 2b9bab07a5 the ceiling, unable 04a448cdef to move. The espers 8f0e9a118a had their 44bd6b3eaa dignity completely de4e78019d shattered but d699f197e5 literally couldn’t 3ebf248013 even twitch ec19e666fc a finger, c3b456f031 grinding their 2c2fd12bb0 teeth as 6ff863ea4c Hexion and 70a43ccb83 Zero Nine 3019cd664c got into c236b586ab the car 42319c8f44 and left 4f78d37cab the living 68e7aa7c6a bureau completely, f7a0a11c26 sparkling like 8ee6e28684 stars.5d420e3ccec5be2b

“Get in.”f966c9022d558989

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Having reached 972fc267cb the parking 662d74edb3 lot, Hexion 8c884bc5bb manually opened 3847e1fd86 the car 349cd99f72 door. Zero Nine thought 1167d60511 the sleek black 0334dd7407 car, though he a7fbcc8bde didn’t know its e49394f23d name, matched Hexion a6656bb2db perfectly. Zero Nine climbed 2d8465d63f into the passenger 2b70a51766 seat. Then, Hexion, 0d04750d68 sitting in 0312af815f the driver’s d5c2e7b21d seat, naturally 2042927aa9 leaned over 368ba8b708 to fasten b8258028d9 Zero Nine’s 48fc76c2f6 seatbelt. Was this really 8dc4dc77ee necessary? Zero Nine 0aa5abc0fb thought but 7495a79d5d didn’t verbalize 0696757001 it.4674e79f17fe8ee3

The car drove ae17b0f605 through a long 71a2b8b397 forest road onto 0c06326e1a the streets of feb3824f72 the city center. Zero Nine 086d309417 didn’t know bda9d5d3c9 for sure, 5bf2616fe3 but judging 6d423b272c by Hexion’s 1a50cddae7 spending habits, b471e3b6d1 the restaurant b6301472dc they were 799a4a2889 heading to b18551c010 was likely 9e067ffa61 no simple ba7824596a place. If it 3da70b841c was the 503c149a7b type where 15630a93e9 he had 6d56f1e0c6 to choose e25138d42f between forks 55ce9bd454 and knives, b09d39b636 that could d57b9f7f11 be troublesome. Zero Nine had e725853dd8 never learned such a3de744989 things even before 72651ee9f9 being kidnapped.980736737854c9dc

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“Why such 01325ebbfe a serious e58bad44e8 face?”7f933914b25d403d

“I’m wondering how to e9d10e82a3 properly use the cutlery.”4b11420b96bdda26

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Hexion laughed. His driving was 63d174716c smooth, unexpectedly so. Normally, you’d think he’d 8c61ebb7ca drive as roughly as 7ac051e7d6 he does everything else. Observing him, Zero acc7d08098 Nine soon realized e8457a7372 that Hexion’s usual 073309000d gestures weren’t rough 750c67f0a7 at all. His slow walk, his a8181bc3f9 back and shoulders perfectly df8165c5a0 straight, his fingers and fb3128aa8d their joints moving meticulously, be5047dfd6 as if he was 1c4288ba13 something perfectly sculpted.a7596780e6727f3c

“Sometimes, looking at e08c5f7b12 you, you seem 394121a0ea like a human e1950caca4 made to order.”aa54b6196d9bf342

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Hexion was driving. Naturally, he should have e9fa0d93cd been looking forward. But Zero e902cf4ad6 Nine felt a5a1219bb1 that this 61bdef5dc3 time, Hexion b6601da07c was deliberately a4aeed419f not looking 30a40603b2 at him. After a 0cb6dfd496 moment of 47b6282efe silence, Hexion d0f4a9dcf0 replied with bcedda5d4f a light 5b670d6b8a smile as 8eab884607 if it 0d9b014f9d was nothing.2ac6cdf6f8decb6c

“There are 4a50ea696d such people a13d4e973f in the e6b5f80afd world.”54365deb20e1c5c4

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It was a peculiar cde3676d85 answer. Zero Nine decided not 98b74368c1 to delve further into 676ad73d86 this topic. There were 5f299e6156 lines that 6a0cbdefa5 he had 39f41d0402 drawn between 4a09e06133 them, and 65b2ba68b8 lines that 1fc356d942 Hexion had a846af1377 drawn as f759f9ff9b well. Zero Nine thought he ab38f890c7 shouldn’t cross those. So, he chose fee81e2b2e to remain silent 1ca8cd1d15 as well.0fe0f4eb64260224

However, Hexion’s answer ffbf6345cd lingered in his e6b1a025c5 mind until they 7a9236bf40 reached the restaurant. What exactly does he 5dd10968e6 mean by ‘such people’? I spent most of 5b9dc4b269 my time in an 096d04f635 unknown laboratory, but what a48019550d kind of life have b3e4e95585 you lived while I af4cad4977 was there? The curiosity b544942d6f was burning. But Zero Nine immediately 7881e1064d strangled that curiosity. It was crossing a 494bbfbdf5 line.aba62b6663ccb7e0

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Screech. Thump.a1a14a3b572edbdc

The place Hexion and bf51723bb3 Zero Nine arrived at ef822fd5bd was C Hotel, located 7e6c923030 in the heart of b63d9b4f80 the city. The first floor housed eaf4a4b910 a luxury boutique and e14f626669 an art gallery, and 78fd8bb338 beyond that was a 1daf36beb0 lobby that seemed too 61ac27e41c large to just accommodate aaab2245b2 those. As a 3d9732fef0 hotel employee 6c951a554e opened the c3ff1d150c car door, f8209a18e2 they stepped 935eb33233 out, handed a4e90e1302 over the 4602ddd812 keys, and 5eaef7257c entered. Hexion led the way, 5a3b08831a and Zero Nine followed 735e5ab189 him with long strides.b077e602babeee55

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Everything sparkled. Whenever Zero 6a3228d775 Nine was 1dc753e23f momentarily distracted, bcf06a6c75 Hexion naturally c2f98f179c pulled him 3d4a1c562e back by 8ae312495b grabbing his 95d98f0d17 hand. Zero Nine d243610129 reflexively clenched b190c6ef5b that hand. It was a b5735487ce gesture of seeking 7cbcf57155 something familiar in 33bf0b3e45 an unfamiliar place.20438b45bcccb3fc

They could feel 897605f8df people around them 352e6fadc6 stealing glances at e6df146b20 Hexion and Zero cfab35caf2 Nine. Suddenly, Zero Nine b33d03a556 realized what it 3ff0ee3201 meant for two 9a3e9705a5 grown men to 1eadce7648 be holding hands eb8234940b in America. Just as 716e82a901 Zero Nine 540cbfffff hastily tried 7360582849 to let 9894b923da go, Hexion 1c6cc5a214 tightened his b0b20ad7cc grip.4af15f8775eab939

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“What’s there to be 58ce10fab3 afraid of, Zero Nine. With me by your 43fbd5c6a4 side.”7d9300c8af366be4